3 reasons you haven’t gotten off your ass and taken action

Maybe you’re reading this sitting at your desk in between checking Facebook statuses and heart-ing photos on Instagram. Maybe you haven’t worked on that new song, or written that screenplay because you can’t seem to find the time.

Maybe you haven’t even gotten to this sentence because your attention has already been captured by another blinking notification. Or, maybe you haven’t finished the project that’s been waiting for completion on your desk because you’re just too. damn. tired.

Whatever the reasoning may be, I’ve got one thing to say to that reasoning:

Shut the f*@^ up, and just do it already!

Did that help?

Probably not. And here’s why:

Berating ourselvesis just another form of procrastination. Having a lazy Sunday or avoiding something you HATE doing is one thing, but when you put off something you have a true passion or calling for there is something deeper at work.

Here are the 3 main reasons we put off doing something, even when it’s something we desperately want:

We’re afraid we won’t succeed.

Fear is a powerful thing, but it’s also a vague beast. The less clear it is the more control it exerts. The easiest way to face our fears is to get specific.

Write it down. Spell it out.

What’s the worst case scenario? What makes that feel like a possible outcome?

When we get clear on what our fears are, they usually turn out to be too unlikely to happen or something that has a solution to overcome it.

We’re afraid we will succeed, and then what?

Even a positive outcome is still representative in this moment as the future – a scary unknown. If we don’t believe we deserve the good that’s to come our way, or we don’t have a plan for what we’ll do once we “arrive,” we’ll likely miss the chance to grab it when it comes.

Be sure to stay open to receiving what it is you want, and visualize what it is you’ll do next once you reach your intended goal(s). Dream big and dream often so that your story doesn’t end at one ever-looming benchmark.

We aren’t clear enough on exactly what it is we want.

Just like fear, when something is too abstract it can be paralyzing. What is it exactly that you want? “Be famous,” is an abstract concept, as is “be successful.”

Get clear on your goals. Be specific.

Write out the steps needed to get there. Then break those steps down. Then take a step. And another. Until you get there.

What are YOU putting off?

Feeling unclear about what it is you’re striving for these days? Be sure to tell us in the comments below, or tweet at me (@RockStarAdvo), and let’s get there together!

In this article

Suzanne started out in the music industry as an intern for Atlantic Records and college rep for WEA. She managed the national street team & mid-west retail for Astralwerks (EMI) and holds a Masters in Psychology. Now, with The Rock/Star Advocate®, she is a mindset coach for music industry professionals, helping them gain clarity on their goals while maintaining a healthy work/life balance. She recently published her first book, The Rock/Star Life Planner, available now on Amazon.